Maiden and the Monster

Vladamir of Kessen, Duke of Lakeshire Castle, is feared as a demon in the land of Wessex. The Kings have granted him a title of nobility in exchange for his part as a political prisoner. Discontent, he bides his time in his new home until war will once again rip through the land. But boredom soon turns to devious pleasure as the daughter of his most hated enemy is left for dead at his castle gate. Now the monster bides his time plotting revenge.

Vladimir is depressed and cranky, and takes no little pleasure in the fact that many of the castle’s servants and visitors are afraid of him: the differences in his speech, dress and rather imperious bearing combined with his hair-trigger temper are his weaponry against his involvement in life and the pleasure it could bring. Widowed some 6 years earlier, he has no patience for the gods of his own childhood or those of the new Christian religion he has converted to: merely halfheartedly nod at the conventions and wishes of the King. Scarred from a fire that took his family, his servants are afraid of him: his control and impatient nature.

Eden was dumped, beaten and near death in a pile of skins, entrails and dirt outside the front gates of Vladimir’s keep. A mystery to solve, for sure, combined with the rarer emotion of protectiveness and attraction keeps Vladimir curious about her appearance, even as his baser nature for revenge against her father is all consuming. Eden is able to see beneath the iron-fisted control and shuttered emotions to find the pain that is mostly hidden beneath his brashness.

There is a palpable attraction between the two, despite the discrepancy in their relationship: her desire to not return to her father’s house yet lack of fear from what he will do TO her shows her inner core of strength, and makes her all the more attractive and unusual for a woman of her day. His struggle to remain aloof and protect his heart against the desire and attraction that she is able to stir in him, after long believing his chances for a life with a woman long dead show the kindness and sense of regret that he has, despite his often cruelly voiced reactions.

This is a slower story, better suited to savoring and allowing the inflections so capably provided by the narration of Mason Lloyd to depict the emotional confusion and struggles that each character is experiencing. Lush details that fill out both the scenes and the scents of the story, as they provide a sense of the time to readers effectively display Vladimir’s differences to his Saxon neighbors, and delineate his high standards for his surroundings, even though he had spent the past year carefully cultivating an impression of disinterest to all but his harshly barked orders. It isn’t difficult to understand the attraction between the two, that understanding quickly turning to compassion and empathy until you are hoping that the two will speak clearly and open to the happiness awaiting them together.

Another cleverly crafted historic romance from Michelle M. Pillow that manages to incorporate a serious level of sexual tension before culmination for the two lead characters. There are accounts of less savory moments, although these are detailed with a sense of purpose, and the perpetrators do get to answer for their behavior. Mixing in historical details, dress and even approach to conversation keeps the story fully in its time, while being completely modern in description and imagery. I really did enjoy this AudioBook, and fans of the genre, who are seeking an era that is not predominant in the genre will, I believe, enjoy it as well.

I received an AudioBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Six Weeks to Yehidah

Move over, C.S. Lewis; Melissa Studdard is here! Annalise of the Verdant Hills is one of the most delightful protagonists to skip through the pages of literature since Dorothy landed in Oz. Join Annalise and her two walking, talking wondersheep as they travel to ever more outlandish places and meet outrageous and enlightening folk on their journey to discover interconnectedness in a seemingly disconnected world.

A curious mix of children’s fantasy stories, Alice in Wonderland, Chronicles of Narnia and The Wizard of Oz, Melissa Studdard has crafted a lovely story perfect for middle-grade readers (or in this case, listeners).

Annalise is 11 and a dreamer, she loves to sing to the clouds and imagine herself in the stories her mother reads to her. Despite her very tender age, Annalise is grappling with the questions we all have: why are we here and what is our purpose. And she explores the question and gleans answers in the company of her two sheep friends, Mimi and Mabel.

Full of lessons and learning all brought gently to the forefront in a wild mix of characters and lovely prose that often is mixed with rhyme and song, Annalise is learning and exploring those parts of life that lie deep within, and aren’t always visible. Heavily laden with lessons that are intrinsic components of the thoughtful life; touching on themes that range from self-determination, choice, love, family and the circular nature of life and the interconnectedness of all beings. While the concepts are deep and still can confuse and confound adults, Studdard presents the building blocks of initial thought with grace and clever imagery that will enchant younger readers as they travel along Annalise’s journey.

Narration in this story is provided by Karen Krause who deftly manages to add nuanced inflections, subtle tone and pacing changes and a smile in much of her delivery that makes the listen intriguing and entertaining. I love her voice and clear delivery, not too fast or slow with moments taken to just wonder at the lovely word pictures that Studdard has created.

Unlike any other stories I have reviewed, this story is fun and intriguing while carrying what is ultimately a life-altering decision at the end: Annalise is a wonderfully developed character with a thoughtful and imaginative interior life, never losing that wonder and curiosity of a child even as many of her reflections and conclusions are solidly old soul.

This book stays with you for the sheer beauty of the writing and world, and the messages within, giving both children and adults an experience that leaves them richer for the listen.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the narrator for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Jane and Austen: Hopeless Romantics

Meet Jane and Austen. First there's Jane - an impractical, starry-eyed wedding planner; if love can't match what she's read in a book, she doesn't want it. And then there's Austen - a pragmatic, logical-to-a-fault financial consultant; even if he were interested in someone, he wouldn't know. The two have one thing in common: they can't leave each other alone.

I’m a fan of Austen’s work, so this mash up of situations and circumstances pulling from her published works looked fun, and a chance to sample yet another Austen-inspired story.

Jane is out of university and working as an intern to the events planner at North Abbey, a B & B turned upscale resort. For me, Jane is almost a picture perfect caricature of Emma: a bit obsessed with her ‘vision’ of how things should be, obsessed with romance for romance’s sake, completely ignoring the realities. It was a bit of a ‘getting used to” period for Jane’s overly enthusiastic proclamations of her ‘devoted romanticism”, which while passably believable all seemed to be gleaned from film school director’s notes; dressing her characters with Regency era clothing, reverting to a moderately-accurate approach of mannerisms, while pulling some tragically teen-aged dialogue and situations into her daydreams. It was hard to see her as a functional adult with the screaming daydream moments that felt very juvenile.

Austen is the son of the couple that owns the North Abbey, and wants to be off working in finance rather than hospitality. Friendly and open with Jane, Austen is the ultimate bean counter: rather clueless about body language cues, with a strong pragmatic streak. He and Jane had a comfortable friendship that Jane had built into a major romance, second-guessing his every move and romanticizing every moment. When he heads to Boston for a job opportunity, she is utterly despondent and convinced her love has walked away. She’s back and forth about him and her feelings, and never quite ‘settled”.

Back and forth between the two, mixing in several secondary characters that appear quickly with little introduction and various levels of impact: it is often a bit of a crush trying to keep them all straight. With the constant twists trying to name characters as ‘stand ins’ for characters from Austen stories, the Fower’s references and character-mixing are clever. Lighthearted, exceedingly fast paced and some embarrassing situations that are cleverly detailed, the story is a light moment, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the ride.

Narration is provided by Andrea Emmes, and while I applaud her attempts to assign voices and approaches to each character, there were some issues that were distracting and inconsistent. Jane’s voice felt real and appropriate, and her simple pacing changes to indicate Austen’s voice were solidly performed. But the inconsistent application of British accents for both Chuck and Dancey as well as simple mispronunciations: parentses for parent’s, guyses for guy’s and furlise for Für Elise were major issues for me, more disruptive than the often overly saccharine squeak-toy voice for Ann Marie and the breathy, almost shrill voice for the supposed “star event planner” Taylor. A heavily interactive story with lots of dialogue and quick switches, I can’t help but wonder if a performance that wasn’t quite so focused on defined characters would have been a smoother listen.

Despite all of this, the story was amusing, and went quickly, keeping me intrigued as I followed along through the wedding week that was the major focus of the story. From fairly straightforward if not entirely logical, the story becomes a soap opera-esque series of miscommunication, dramatic events near farcical moments: as if Fower is in on some cosmic joke that only Jane Austen knew as she penned her stories and poked at her characters.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the narrator for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Remix

Caz Tallis restores rocking horses in her London workshop. When shabby but charismatic Joe and his dog turn up on her roof terrace, she is reluctantly drawn into investigating a rock star's murder from three years before - an unsolved case the police have closed. Which, as her best friend James says, is rather like poking a furnace with a short stick.

I own a copy of this title that I purchased close to release: how could I not with a rock-star returning from the dead to infiltrate the life of a woman who restores rocking horses for a living? It was clever when I read it, and still holds up to the initial promise: full of the insecurities we all have but hide, an omnipresent friend that is hinting toward more than just friendship and a touch of mystery.

Caz is mostly a loner, she restores classic rocking horses in her new house / studio that is just how she likes it. Her budget is tight, and her own creations haven’t taken off, but she is content in her friendship with James, even though there are flashes of him wanting more.

Finding a ‘vagrant’ named Joe on her outdoor patio, 3 floors up, she is necessarily spooked: but the man, Joe, seems familiar and not at all threatening. And he has a motley dog with him, utterly enchanted with his company.

From here, the true identity of Joe is revealed: the lead singer of a now-defunct rock band who disappeared and died after the murder of a colleague. Joe is really Ric, and he maintains his innocence to Caz, so convincing that she believes him and agrees to help unravel the mystery.

The story is fast-paced, with characters that are easy to understand and relate to. The integration of rocking horses and the restoration, and a simple but cleverly twisted mystery that introduces us to Ric’s remaining band-mates and former manager / brother in law moves forward quickly without overly relying on tricks or flourishes to keep readers engaged.

Narration for this story is provided by Anne Day-Jones, and she manages to add twists in accent, delivery and pitch to delineate each character: from slightly northern-tinges to Hackney, posh private school and some hints of other regions, she manages to keep all of the characters straight and distinct without over-reaching. Touches of emotional overlay note frustration, anger, insecurities and even lust to bring a more solid image of the story to light.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, an easy, fun, romp through London and the outlying counties with a touch of romance and a happy little mutt that seems to never be far away.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the publisher via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

A King's Ransom: Masters of Pleasure

On a quest to find his brother, King Kritan of Katarian on the planet of Panucia finds himself ambushed, beaten, tortured and then sold to fight in the arena games. The people of Tamonius--his rival kingdom--condone slavery, take public sex to new lows and try to turn a profit off anything they can. Nothing can change his hatred for everything Tamonius...that is until he meets the most breathtakingly beautiful woman he's ever laid eyes upon.

A touch of the otherworldly with initially bizarre influences of ancient Roman attitudes, this sci-fi erotic romance is fast-paced, dramatic and well-developed keeping readers wanting more. The historical influence is felt in some of the constraints on the citizens of the worlds: Panucia had advanced technology, but the leaders of the variant territories banned their use, as well as intergalactic travel.

Slavery, gladiator games and other bloodsports are common and popular, prostitution is rife in the lower classes, and much like today some territories and people are more cruel and harsh in their punishments than others.

Surinia is well-heeled and raised to be independent and thoughtful. When she takes up for the cruel punishment of a slave, her life changes and she sees the cruelty and despicable acts that heretofore had been beyond her notice.

Kritan, a Kartarian half man-half beast is on a mission to find his estranged brother. Caught in a trap, he is enslaved and rescued by the lovely Surinia. As she questions and learns more about this intriguing man, she agrees to help him escape: yet he uses her as a captive.

The story winds through backstory, intrigue, political machinations and some seriously hot and steamy moments, with scenes of ménage and some dance about the lines of dubious consent. A bit more ‘take charge and push the boundaries than many may be comfortable with, this sci-fi romp does bring plot and purpose to the story and gives solid reasoning to the choices.

Narration is provided by David Benjamin Bliss and he manages to navigate all of the changes in characters, emotion, personality and threat with aplomb: creating distinct voices for each character with changes in pitch, tone and delivery. Small inflection changes add tension or emotion as required by the text, and the narration never overwhelms or directs the story that is being told.

A wonderfully fun sci-fi romp that dances on the edge of propriety, but keeps readers and listeners wanting more of the world and the beings that live there.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

The League of Doorways: Doorways, Book 2

With a werewolf and a vampire for company, Zach Black makes his way across a vast apocalyptic wasteland in search of the box which contains the Heart of Endra. In the desert, they stumble across a mechanical man who tells Zach and his friends that if they want to reach the box, they will have to cross a desolate land inhabited by terrifying creatures, which have been smuggled from the other side of the doorways.

The second in this trilogy picks right up where the first ended, or didn’t since the author is an apparent fan of the cliffhanger. While I understand the reasons for them, in titles geared to younger readers I am NOT a fan (not much for myself either) as I believe that each story should have some conclusion that makes you curious about what next, not struggling to sort out a long or drawn-out plot point. But that is really my biggest issue with this story: again O’Rourke manages to build a world that is solid and inventive, and give us plenty of action to follow.

There are new characters: good, bad and ugly to get to know again in this story, while some carry-over from the first book does happen, this is really a solid deepening of the characters we met in book one: and you CANNOT jump into this story expecting to follow along. You will be hopelessly lost as the action starts with very little breathing time, and we jump right in to it all: not a ton of catch up or background from the first book. Zach is marginally more developed in this story – but it is definitely action, not a character driven storyline, and if you are wanting some unique twists, surprises and plenty of new puzzles to work out.

Fred Wollinsky’s narration was better in this than the first: or perhaps I was more accustomed to his performance and voicing. His creation and consistency with Zach’s voice is spot on for the character, and his variations in pitch, tone, accent and delivery are clearer as he navigates through a daunting myriad of characters, each bringing their own intention and threat to the story.

Part two is down, and this trilogy will end with the next book, The Queen of Doorways. There is another cliffhanger at the end of this story: be warned. I did listen to books one and two in succession, so the characters and voices were fresh and while not easy to recall, I found them less confusing in the second round. Perfectly suited for ages 12 and up, there is something to please the fantasy fan who prefers unique worlds and action.

I received an audioBook copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Doorways: A Book of Vampires, Werewolves, & Black Magic, The Doorways Trilogy, Book 1

When Zach Black discovers a doorway, he enters a world similar, yet very different from his own. A world inhabited with vampires, werewolves, and zombies, Zach makes a journey like no other. With the help of a beautiful vampire named Neanna Cera and a werewolf called William Weaver, Zach's journey to save the person he loves takes him through the Doorways. But the Doorways have the power to change you - altering your appearance and abilities as you pass between them.

Doorways by Tim O’Rourke promised Vampires, Werewolves and Magic all from the perspective of Zach, a sixteen year old boy who will be the hero and constant in the series. I was concerned that the story could easily be ‘too familiar’ with too much of the feel of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, as the whole enter a doorway just instantly had me thinking of the Wardrobe.

What I found was a compelling, if slightly over-populated with characters, story that had some unique twists and villains that are simply ‘regular’ people, without great stereotypical traits to mark them as dangerous. Zach finds himself stepping through a doorway and meeting up with friendly vampires and werewolves. Soon he realizes this parallel universe holds people he knows, some with very different skills and traits than those he recognizes. Of course, there is evil: in fact Zach is thrust into a battle to save his ‘alternate little sister”.

O’Rourke kept the action flowing, even if, at times, there were too many characters added and given ‘import’ to keep them all straight and easily recognized. His friendship with William and Neanna is serving the plot nicely, and they do show a solid connection. But all of the characters were a touch flat for me without great development that would have had me over the moon about the title. Zach needed to give me more: I didn’t find a way to connect with his struggles or love for his sister, or even the fear or confusion that would have been apparent. It is a solid, action packed fantasy where you have the idea of ‘who’ to follow, but aren’t necessarily engaged with him: it is the action and the unique world that draw and hold you in the story.

Narration is provided by Fred Wollinsky, and while his narration was solid and he was solidly managing to give Zach a consistent voice that was clearly enunciated and felt appropriate, there were too many voices attempted altogether, and in his more ‘sinister’ moments his enunciation went south and rewinding at least once, but often several times was needed to understand. While I can’t blame that entirely on his choices but on the overload of characters, I think a few less voices would have made a huge difference in this performance.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Barbarian Prince: Dragon Lords, Book 1 (Anniversary Edition)

Going undercover at a mass wedding as a bartered bride, Morrigan Blake has every intention of getting off the barbaric planet just as soon as it's over. Or, more correctly, just as soon as she captures footage of the mysterious princes rumored to be in attendance. After a euphoric night, Morrigan discovers her spaceship left without her, and Ualan of Draig is claiming she's his wife. It's not exactly the story this reporter had in mind.

This will be a fun series I think, although I have come to them out of order – having read a bit back-to-front having read the Dragon Queen (book 9) first. A fun fantasy romance with a less-than wonderfully engaging heroine, Michelle Pillow dives right into the misunderstandings and arguments that serve a large part of the plot.

Morrigan is a reporter, and is doing an undercover exposé of Galaxy Brides. She is totally anti-marriage, and more than a bit selfish and spoilt. Her self-import is part defense mechanism and part insecurities, she is always feeling that she has to battle against someone or something to achieve her own ends. Fortunately, even though her mouth and behavior get in her way more often than not, she does come to develop and grow a personality that isn’t quite so abrasive with the patience and help of Ualan.

For his part, Ualan is singularly unhelpful to Morrigan when he discovers her total lack of information and knowledge about the customs and rules of the Quirillxen. She had a month to brush up, and apparently he felt that sufficient, even though it is patently apparent that she had not paid attention during the Marriage Laws and customs.

These two have, despite multiple miscommunications and some real humor in the reactions, a relationship that is developing as they learn more about one another, with an attraction that grows as the story proceeds. There is arguing – LOTS of arguing, and some tidbits about the world and the people around them, but truly this is Morrigan and Ualan learning to overcome their stubborn attachment to ‘what is’ and start to communicate. It’s fun in all of the missed connections and misunderstandings, but it really was hard to see these two in a happy ever after.

Narration in this story is provided by Mason Lloyd: the second book that I have listened to from him and his facility with accent, voice, pitch and delivery add much to this story. Smooth switches from character to character without over-reaching for the female voices, Lloyd keeps the reader engaged and intrigued, with carefully added pauses for dramatic or emotional effect that are perfectly suited to the text.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

I, Paris

Paris and Helen - more than a romance, this audiobook depicts the adventures and inner life of the Trojan prince Paris, a complex figure in a world of stark simplicity, moving through passion, betrayal, and violence to a stunning finale. Through interpolation of gripping action scenes, tender vignettes, and vivid dialogue, the audiobook gives new depth and richness to the classic story of Paris, Helen of Troy, and the war their stolen love engendered.

In an elaboration and build out for a classic character from Homer’s Iliad, Rick Garnett has focused this story on Paris, a character he felt was diminished by many interpretations of the original work and often stood in the background to the more famous Helen of Troy.

Garnett himself has a litany of reasons why he has reworked the original, and the influences brought forward from other classic works that influenced his portrayal and characterization. While I appreciated the obvious attention to detail and care taken in his work, but as a filling out of a classic character, I had difficulty integrating the two works Taken as a stand-alone story, there is a character that has a touch of insouciant confidence, a solid belief in his fighting skills, a curious ‘there’s always tomorrow” attitude that all hold a deeply seated alpha to solidify his hero status.

The story proceeds apace, and has a touch of romance, humor and some action with plenty to encourage readers and listeners to seek out the classic story. This is the perfect bite to introduce you to a classic that may feel daunting in a small bite. Garnett is obviously familiar with the original and keeps a similar feel in this modern work.

Narration is provided by Chris MacDonnell who manages to add inflections and pacing changes as well as subtle and not so subtle pitch variations to delineate characters all worked well. The narration was a solid performance, enhancing emotional components and delivered smoothly to keep listeners engaged without overwhelming them with too many narrative choices.

If you are looking for a modern story with a classic feel that you can get in an easy afternoon’s listening, this is the story for you; working well as an influence to seek out the classic work from Homer.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Executive Decision: Falling for Him, Book 1

Dale Corbins has been in love with Liz from the moment he laid eyes on her. He knows time is running out, that one of these days she's going to come home and tell him she's fallen for someone else. When he finds out she's been sleeping with their boss, he decides it's time to take matters into his own hands. Unfortunately, winning Liz's heart isn't an easy game to play. It will take more than romantic gestures and sweet nothings to get the woman he loves. Thankfully, he's a very persistent man.

A best friends to lovers trope is the centerpoint of this story, and while I really did like Dale, I was rather on the fence about Elizabeth. These two have been friends for years, in fact Dale is her roommate and shoulder, and occasional ‘safety switch’. He’s pretty carefree and open, and he doesn’t make his admiration of her a secret, but she hides behind the ‘I’ve been hurt’ barrier.

When Dale decides that enough is enough, and wants to make his intentions clear – their connection is off the chain, but her immaturity and constant need to bicker was annoying and thoroughly frustrating. While there was some solidity to their friendship, I couldn’t fully buy into his attraction for the longest time, her behavior was so conflicted unless or until it suited her to be loving and kind.

Narration in this story is provided by Sarah Van Sweden, my second encounter with her work. While this was a smoother narration than the first I’d listened to from her, there are still moments where her overly definite enunciation distracted from the flow of the story, although it was an issue quickly sorted with what appeared to be increased comfort with performing a narration and not simply reading.

The story does dance about a bit and emotionally runs the gamut from wanting to get a cold drink after sexy time to wanting to bash Elizabeth (and occasionally Dale) over the head with a cast-iron pan to halt the bickering. Believe me, you will want LOTS of ice handy, this is erotic romance with some seriously hot and inventive scenes, a trait Roth has down. A few late additions ramped up the tension, almost unnecessarily, and perhaps introduced characters to follow in later installments. If you are a fan of friends to lovers and like a story with steam – this is the book for you. Overall it was an enjoyable getaway as Roth played my patience and emotional response to the characters with precision.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the publisher for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

The Guardians

Ass-kicking Guardian, Madelyn Mason, is the only female in a sea of supernatural males. College student by day, she spends her nights fighting for mankind--the innocents, the ones who have no clue that the things of nightmares walk among the living. Larger than life Hollywood hunk, Brady Devens, has won the hearts of millions of adoring fans. But, the only heart he wants to win is that of his mate, Madelyn.

I never quite know what I’ll get with a Mandy Roth title, beyond the smart-mouthed comments and some incredibly hot and sexy scenes, the layering of her characters with otherworldly traits, unique settings and inherent conflicts can be set anywhere: from real-world to outer space.

Madelyn and Brady are friends, roommates and absolutely adorable together. Madelyn is a guardian, protection of the innocents with her not insignificant fighting skills. Brady is the latest Hollywood hot thing, an actor that works for Madelyn’s father. The only person to know Mady’s secret – Brady is that stand-up guy that you want in your corner, and that is her main reason she isn’t willing to endanger the relationship that they had with sexual games. But they do, at first, dance to that cliff and back in nearly every interaction.

Not only is Madelyn the only woman in guardian’s history – it seems that everyone is keeping secrets from her. And as kick-ass as she is, and able to manage just about every challenge she faces in her efforts to protect the innocents, she just can’t seem to put all the pieces together.

And then, the revelations starting coming fast and furious- and here I thought Mady was a little ‘off’. Thinking she had to manage it all, and believing that those who ‘knew’ her secret didn’t understand her, when the pieces start to fall in for her, she is far too complacent in her reaction. A temper tantrum, some smart ass comments, even a few punches would have felt better for me. But, this led the story into the well-developed and still transforming relationship between her and Brady, and from the seriously palpable sexual tension that was unfulfilled, we move into some incredibly inventive and steamy moments with plenty of heat and action to spur the imagination.

Narration in this story is provided by Sarah Van Sweden. Her tone is pleasant and her speech is clear, and while the performance starts with only small modulations in tone and pacing to delineate each character, those changes became more pronounced as the story progressed and worked to smoothly set Brady and Madelyn separate from the other characters that were introduced. What I did notice was a decided lack of “performance” in the narration: concise and clear speech is necessary for the listener, but the tiny pauses as each single syllable and word is enunciated ( slowly – I – faced – them ) left me knowing that the text was being read. What that did was add a hiccup in the flow: I understand that careful attention to the written word is important, and clarity in speech is necessary, but the quest to not make errors (when they WILL happen) halts the natural flow of the narration. What I can say is that during the more action-heavy scenes, she does speed her pace slightly and the hesitations between the words seems to diminish slightly.

A fun story, this is a nice introduction into Roth’s work for those not familiar with her writing, and sure to please those who enjoy a paranormal fantasy romance with a bit of heat and a smart-mouthed heroine.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

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